Chapter 22
Dawn had finally arrived, a lot slower then it had left them the day before.
Master Shifu sat beneath the now barren Peach Tree, Oogways staff sitting on his lap. His fingers gently swept along the thin body, before sighing softly and sitting up on his knees, embedding the staff into the ground.
He had sat there all night; the first half mournfully focusing on the loss of his dearest friend Oogway: he was there was the start, and now that he suddenly wasn't... what was he supposed to do? He honestly felt like his journey was only getting started, despite being in the Jade Palace for a long... long time. He journey there and then, and now he didn't have Oogway around to help him. What was he suppose to do now?
Shifu's eyes closed slowly, where an ocean of clouds moved below the cliff's edge. They bathed into the soft glow of the sun as it was rose. It normally brought a sense of calm, but not this morning. Now Shifu could only think about what he needed to do- with Tai Lung was merely days away from the Valley, and the Panda was nowhere near done with his training. There was no hope...
"Po needs Jian to fulfill his destiny, and neither of them know it yet. You just need to believe," leaning in towards his friend, Oogway spoke again, but his voice was a little raspier then normal. "Promise me, Shifu. Promise me you will believe."
He hadn't really thought about the boy. It was almost cruel- selfish even to think, but why should he do so? Jian wasn't around when Tai Lung was incarcerated... but if Sying never sent the wretched letter, he wouldn't have known about Jian or Azure. He was sure to come after the three of them, let alone the scroll.
How come Sying never updated him on their milestones? Was he aware they didn't want to acknowledge him? From what he gathered, neither of the children expressed any interest in getting in contact with their father after finding out what he had done in the past. Furthermore, they seemingly swept the problem under the rug and proceeded to not think about it ever again...
Very much like what he had been trying to do for twenty-years.
They had a right to know about him; of course they did. He was the theme of a cautionary tale they wore on their sleeve. Shifu was almost certain Jian was after the scroll himself, for whatever gain it could've brought. Maybe to wave it in his face, to show off that he could achieve something Tai Lung couldn't, in some ironic twist?
He had expressed interest before, which was only proved through continuous training- but when the Panda arrived, it was like he never really showed interest in the first place. And Azure?
...
Oddly enough, she was never a concern.
It's because Jian is his son. A voice echoed in his ears. Who else would be most like him? The boy is every inch of his father, down to the pattern of his coat. Pity the mother never had a say on how much her son got to look like his parents...
It was rare for Azure to step out of line, and even when (and if) she did, she apologized almost immediately. It often brought him back to the day she accepted Master Rhino's offer to go to Gongmen City...
"Are you sure this is what you want?" Azure had seemed hesitant during the meeting, and asked if they could break for a few moments, just so she could gather her thoughts.
Rhino had excused himself to step out, leaving the Tigress and Shifu to sit with her in the silence.
It was awkward to say the very least; the lingering silence didn't sit right with any of them, but they were waiting patiently for some sort of response. Maybe she wasn't expecting something like this to happen; maybe this gift of hers failed to warn her about it... and for Tigress to ask this question was just what she needed to find herself back on the ground again.
"It doesn't matter if it's something I want." Azure replied finally, as she eyed Tigress carefully. "I can't refuse."
"If you're not ready-"
Azure flashed the teeniest smile Shifu had ever seen. "Do you think I am?" She wasn't looking at him; even if she was, Shifu wouldn't think his opinion would matter. Tigress nodded into a hum. "Then I am. I don't need to convince myself I'm not. I'm out of your fur at least." Now she was speaking ill of herself, but he didn't have to say anything; she was never any trouble. "If Master Rhino is ready, he can come back in." Tigress said she would to get him, and left them to their own devices.
"It'll be a whole new experience altogether." Shifu said finally. Azure turned to face him. "If you wish to continue your Kung Fu Training, I'm sure Master Rhino can continue it."
"I'll definitely do that." She was smiling at him this time.
"Then I wish you luck."
"And I wish you the same."
Shifu's brow raised questioningly. "I need you to promise me something Master Shifu."
"What would that be?"
"Give Jian a chance." His eyes narrowed questioningly. "Our childhood here was... always different. I suppose anyone who was raised in a Palace, under the teachings of a Kung Fu Master of a high stature like yourself would be unlike any other upbringing. My mother did her best, and you can't argue with the fact that she brought us up well."
"What are you getting at?"
"I'll be out of your fur. I know neither Jian or I were never trouble for Master Tigress, or the rest of the Furious Five... but you?" Her brows anchor downward, as if to scold a naughty child. "You and Jian had always had a strained relationship. Anyone can see it."
Shifu's ears elevated to hear out for Tigress and Master Rhino's return- nothing stirred. The air had suddenly turned sour, and he was almost begging them to hurry back. "I treated you both equally." He said sternly. "Master Tigress got the exact same treatment growing up."
Azure's eyebrows raised in surprise. "I suppose she did- but last time I checked her biological father was not your former student. In fact, neither of you know who he is, or where he or Tigress' biological mother is presently. So there is no way you could know if either of them had bad blood, yet you took her in after meeting her at that orphanage. You don't know him at such a depth. You also happened to have that choice whether she lived here or not. You were stuck with Jian and I- only because Oogway had convinced you to keep us under the roof." Azure stood up and folded her arms. "You did treat us the same... until Jian looked more and more like our father everyday, and you were struggling with it. When are you going to see his loyalty?"
The red panda stirred about uncomfortably.
It was the only time she stepped out of line and he never got an apology. But even when doing so, she was so... calm about it. Once Tigress and Master Rhino returned, both of them acted like it never happened, and have been to this day. Nor did they ever properly speak. Her absence never changed anything... and Shifu was starting to question if it ever will.
"Hai yah!"
His thoughts were interrupted by a sound, his ears pricking at the sound of kung fu cries in the distance. He hadn't gone to wake up the Five yet... they must of gotten up themselves. Just to be sure of his theory, Shifu rose up and went to the training hall to investigate. The doors opened...
The room was... vacant?
The clubs that hung over-head swung slow in silence, as if someone had been practicing just before he entered. A little confused, he turned to go, but heard something stirring about inside; a gentle hiss that barely crept past the front door.
Tentatively, he padded down the steps, and looked around as his right foot departed from the final step.
The screen he had used the night before, right where Zeng delivered the news, was pulled back over, but instead of someone sitting in front of them, there was a silhouette looming behind it, illustrated by a gentle candle light, that had yet to be washed out by the rising sun. Ears lowering, Shifu made his way towards it, staff angled to catch someone by the neck if they tried to attack him.
But didn't seem to pick up his presence; was is until he stood on a creaky floorboard. A growl echoed from within.
"Master Tigress?" Shifu asked. It was a careless move; anyone could be behind there.
...
"Master Shifu?"
Jian.
The screen was pulled back, and they both made eye contact, and Shifu was a little taken aback;
Jian looked a little roughed up- his fur was disheveled on various parts of his body. His eyes were scorching red, almost glaring in blinding sun-light; his paws that were made into soft fists has sheets of bandages poorly wrapped around the pads. There was no point in reacting dramatically, but even if the red panda did, Jian would still look away shamefully.
Shifu got his attention again, and beckoned him to come over to the first aid station close by. With steady paws, Shifu unraveled the bandages slowly, and he nearly forgot to hide his horror at the sight; both of Jian's paws were nearly slashed to pieces. Cuts edged their way across every direction possible, and the sight almost made him swore. "What happened?"
"Mirror broke last night..." Jian mumbled. "I had to clean up the glass."
"How did it break?"
Que the silence.
"...the wind?"
"Uh-huh." He wasn't buying it, yet didn't address the lie. "You have to be careful."
"I know... I was a bit-" a short pause granted him the chance to take a steady breath. "Distracted."
Shifu nodded. "I can understand that." He looked around the room. "Have you been here all night?"
Jian's head bobbed up and down automatically; usually if neither of them had anything to say or add to the conversation, a simple nod brought it to the end... but his mouth opened. "I had a lot on my mind."
"Of course..." Shifu cleared his throat. "But what's happening at the moment isn't your fault. You know that, right?"
This shocked Jian a little; of course it wasn't, but his sub-conscious had been telling him it was somehow, and it was like it was talking loud enough for Shifu to hear it and tune it out. "I..." he couldn't find anything else to add onto his line- but even if he did, the time to say so was gone.
"YAH!"
Both Masters turned towards the door, which Shifu left slightly ajar. "You... heard that as well, right?" The old Master did hear it, but failed to tell Jian that the noise was the reason he came to the Training Hall in the first place.
"Follow me," he replied. "And quietly."
The noise was coming from the bunkhouse, so Jian and Shifu raced over there immediately. Master Jian was first to reach the door, and crept down the hall, signaling Shifu to be quiet (to which he agreed to non-verbally). Listening out for more bashing and crashing, Jian pointed quickly towards the entrance to the kitchen. "On three?" He whispered, pressing his back against the wall beside the doorway.
Shifu thought about it, and shook his head. He walked past Jian, who watched him turn to looking inside. His face melted into a look of confusion, and only then did Jian peek inside.
"Hai...yah! Wai-ya!" A quick black fist cracked through one of the cabinets, pulling out some food (which neither could identify) and stuffed it into their mouth hungrily. That them... was Po?
The panda was chowing down on the food, loud audible crunching vibrating from his mouth... before seeing them. He stopped mid munch as he and Shifu made eye contact in a deathly silence. Jian didn't say anything and just scoped out the room, jaw hanging open. Doors were smashed, locks were broke, cabinet doors hung away from their hinges...
Po had completely destroyed the kitchen. "What on earth happened in here?" Jian didn't sound annoyed; but Shifu hadn't said anything yet, he felt the need to say something. What he didn't seem to notice was Shifu's face looking a little bewildered.
"I eat when I'm upset, okay?!" Po spoke with a full mouth- he was not happy.
"Oh, no need to explain." Shifu's elbow collided with Jian's knee, making him jump back. "I just thought you might be Monkey. He hides his almond cookies on the top shelf..."
He turned around, and motioned Jian to get moving- now. Jian didn't have time to question it, and just rolled with it. Both plastered themselves against the wall, out of sight, with Shifu waiting with immense anticipation. There was a hunch that needed to be observed and corrected. There was a teeny pitter patter of feet...
KLUMP! KLONK! THUNK!
Shifu and Jian rushed back in, where Po was now perched atop the shelves, legs in a split, wolfing down one cookie after the next. He was slow enough to spot them, but when he did, he had paused abruptly, crumbs falling from his lips. Shifu had a wise smile on his face, while Jian was staring with his jaw hanging open in disbelief.
"Don't tell Monkey..." Po said with his mouth at its full capacity.
Jian didn't breathe a word, and remained rooted on the spot as Shifu moved closer. "Look at you..."
"Yeah, I disgust you..." Po said woefully as he buried his paw back inside the jar to take another cookie.
"No no, I mean... how did you get up there?"
"I... don't know. I guess I- ya know..." He fished out another cookie. "I was getting a cookie..." It was quick to disappear to crumbs behind his lips.
"And yet you are ten feet off the ground... and have done a perfect split."
"Oh this?" Po scoffed, fishing out the last cookie. "It's nothing."
Jian shook himself out of his dazed trance, and laughed. "It's not often to receive a nice compliment Po from Master Shifu." He said. "I wouldn't push the chance away."
"Really, it's nothing! This is just an... accident!" Po suddenly fell away from his split, and crashed to the floor. "Ooohuhuu..." The cookie that was previously in his paw rolled across the floor, and settled by Shifu's feet, which he picks up, inspects it, and smirks. "There are no accidents. Come with me, both of you."
The old panda slowly limps out of the room, leaving Jian and Po staring after him.
High up in the Wudang Mountains, Jian could see Jade Palace just visible in the distance. The sun had risen a little higher, but before he could comment or mentally note how beautiful the Palace looked from this distance, he heard wheezing in front of him. It wasn't Shifu- he was walking ahead of him.
It was Po practically crawling up the rocky path, weighed down by a heavy rucksack. "I know you're trying to be all mystical and kung fu-ey, but..." he let out a huge gasp of air, "could you at least tell me where we're going?" Jian turned to see Shifu still walking ahead, and turned a corner. "Jian?"
"I don't know Po, sorry." It wasn't a lie- he truly didn't know where this path was going to take them, and if Shifu got away far enough they would be stranded. Jian traced his steps and allowed Po to throw an arm over his shoulder. "Come on. You got this."
"I'm dying."
"No you're not."
"But I'm almost floating..."
Jian held back his laugh, but his words came out in a slightly choky tone. "That's because I'm helping you walk some of the walk. So don't get too comfortable."
By the time they reached the top, Jian was still holding Po upright, who was gasping almost dangerously. Figuring that he could walk on his own now... he let go, only to find Po falling flat on his face, winded. Shaking his head, the leopard looked up to just see Shifu's silhouette in the mist. He wasn't sure when it decided to appear, but Po proceeded to crawl to whether Shifu was sitting.
In contrast, the little panda was calm- his eyes were closed, his breathing was a series of steady intakes of the air, and didn't flinch as Po started in front of him in disbelief.
"You... dragged me... all the way out here... for a bath?!" He panted, dumping the backpack off to the side.
A foggy water body lay before them, but Jian couldn't tell how far it ventured out. "Panda," Shifu's eyes remained closed. "We do not wash our pits in The Pool of Sacred Tears."
Jian stifled a laugh at Po's reaction, not really listening to what Shifu had said. Po was quick to stop washing, flapping his paws mid air to dry them. In the brief moment of realization, his lips were sucked inward, his eyes wider then dinner plates. "The pool of... what?"
Shifu stood up slowly, and moved closer to the edge of the pool. Jian watched closely, before noticing the mist starting to thin out. "This is where Oogway unraveled the mysteries of harmony and focus. This is the birthplace... of kung fu."
Both young men inwardly gasped; Po taking his amazement one step forward by slapping a paw on his heart. In a split second, Shifu was up in the air, and on top of a towering rock, throwing punches, kicking, and showing flawless form. Po watched, absolutely star-struck, while Jian moved in closer, grinning a little.
"He was always a show off.." he said, but only loud enough for himself to hear.
Shifu stopped mid air-strike, before looking down at the mesmerized panda. "Do you want to learn kung fu?" He heard his Master say.
"Yeah." He heard his friend say quietly.
"Then I am... your... master!"
"Okay!" He heard sniffling.
"Don't cry."
"Okay." Po was wiping his nose, smiling as he turned to look at Jian, who was smiling approvingly.
"Well then, we better get started."
Shifu and Po stood face to face in an open field of grass. Po stood with excitement bouncing against his chest. Jian was a few feet away, observing quietly.
"There's a few things we must address Panda." Shifu began with a steady breath as he kept his balance on a boulder. "When you focus on kung fu... when you concentrate...you stink." Jian grimaced a little bit as Po's face fell. "But perhaps that is my fault." Jian raised a brow. "I cannot train you the way I have trained the Five. I now see the only way to get through to you." A bowl of dumplings miraculously appeared in his hold. Po's eyes brightened up immediately.
"Perfect timing!" The panda said with delight. "'cause I am hungry... huh?" Shifu pulled it out of his reach.
Jian's muzzle scrunched up with confusion. Where was the old Master going with this? "When you have been trained, you may eat." Jian's face soon dissolved into a knowing smile as the red panda hopped off of the rock, eating a dumpling as his walked away.
A paw clapped onto Po's back as he scowled. "They looked delicious..."
"His intentions mean well." The leopard said, feeling strange to agree with Shifu on something. "We better get started."
And so Po's strenuous training began. Over the next few days, Shifu had him combating several tasks, with Jian watching from the sidelines. There was a lot of warm up exercises where Jian had to get involved; as cruel as it seemed, he had to make sure Po was always within reach of his goal- anything edible. This resulted in him practically being chased most of the time.
Another task had Po doing sit ups whilst dangling on a tree branch. Shifu stands along the same branch, cradling a bowl of dumplings while Jian sits on a rock which protruded from a soft mist beneath Po. Mid workout, the branch snapped partially. Shifu jumped off and landed beside Jian on the rock, and they both watched as Po caught the bowl that Shifu "dropped".
The victory was short lived- before Po could take one, the branch broke away from the tree completely, allowing Po to drop out of sight. Shifu happened to rescue the dumplings himself... and while they waited for Po to hit the ground, Shifu offered the bowl to Jian without speaking a word. The leopard took one quietly, before they heard a soft thud... followed by a echoed "I'm okay!"
Later that evening, Po crawled into a clearing in the forest, where Jian and Shifu had a strong fire going. "You made it!" Jian spoke first with a laugh; Po's fur was roughed up in different places, and while he was a little out of breath, he seemed to be in one piece.
"Of course he would." Shifu said with a chuckle, passing a bowl to the starved panda, who almost snatched it out of his paws... only to find two dumplings left. "We continue training tomorrow." Shifu bowed to them, before excusing himself to meditated, with Po watching him leave as Jian rolled out a sleeping bag.
Once he was swallowed up by the shadows, Po was soon distracted by a soft humming behind him; he found Jian sitting cross-legged in front of the fire, rubbing his paws together, before pulling them away to face the flames.
There was a short silence, before Po finally decided to speak.
"Why didn't you ever tell me about your dad?" It was almost like he casted a spell to turn him into stone; Jian's tongue grew heavy, and silenced him for a moment. He... somehow wasn't expecting Po to ask him anything. "You never spoke about him... I guess this is why?"
"I..." a sigh broke past his lips, before he straightened his back. "I didn't want you to get the wrong idea Po. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings."
Po scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "No need to apologize. Just know... I always knew. My dad told me once you left the morning we first met. I never brought it up in case it upset you." Jian nodded softly, thanking him. "I'm bringing it up now 'cos... well, isn't it a bit... you know, strange that I'm fighting your dad?"
He watched as the leopards eyes closed, and a deep inhale expanded his chest, before they reopened, and replied calmly; "he's my father, not my dad. There's a difference."
"How so?" A tilt of his head added to the question.
Jian fell back and landed on his back, looking up at the stars. There was a shuffling around him, before he looked to his left to see Po laying beside him, gazing up at the same stars. "A father is someone who lays down and makes a child." Po listened quietly. "A dad is someone who stays to raise their child. Tells their kid the rights and wrongs. He never did that with me; he was in prison when I was born, and my mother told him about Az and I by letter. By letter." He rubbed his eyes tiredly. "I've never met him- as far as I'm concerned, maybe he thinks we're elsewhere, that we're not in the Valley of Peace... but I have no relationship with him whatsoever."
"Oh..." at least he understood. "So does that make Shifu your dad then?" What?!
"No." His response was quicker then he had thought.
"Why not?" Po sat up, groaning with the struggle. "He's been around since the day you were born, he taught you the ways of Kung Fu; that counts as the rights and wrongs, doesn't it?"
Jian sat up too, and looked at Po with a blank expression. "My relationship with Master Shifu is a lot more complicated then that Po. He is not my father."
"He let you stay after your mom left?"
"No. Tigress did, and has been the closest thing to a parent I've had in years."
...
"Because she adopted you?"
There was no complication to this. "She didn't adopt me. She's my guardian, until I'm twenty at least."
Po nodded slowly... but he suddenly looked a little sad. "What are you gonna do then?"
A simple shrug would've ended the conversation, but knowing Po, he wasn't going to take it as answer. "I don't know what I'll be doing then. I tell myself I can do what I like; maybe I'll go back and live with my mother." Po asked him why. "I won't have a purpose here anymore. I help Shifu train you, and you become the hero that saves the day. After that I have nothing worth staying in the Valley for."
This seemed to annoy Po a little bit, and Jian was worried that he might of felt less important, but he was given enough time to speak, and Jian soon found out what was on his mind. "I thought Tigress would be worth staying here for."
The snow leopard was... stunned, to say the least. He never really thought about that, until now anyways. "Master Tigress has her own life; she had a job set by my mother, and it's almost done. And if I'm being honest..." he glared at the ground. "The past few days I've given her nothing but grief. The least I can do is leave. For everyone's sake."
This time, Po had nothing else to say, and Jian wasn't sure if he had hurt his feelings. There was no more talking, apart from a "goodnight," before they both laid down in front of the fire to go to sleep.
Neither of them realized that Shifu had stopped meditating a long time again, and had heard the whole conversation.
And we have chapter 22!
Sorry for dipping for a while guys. I had a lot going on with college, work, etc. Hope you liked it!
Next chapter coming asap!
